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6 Things You MUST Know before Staying at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Sunday, May 24, 2015 - 05:49

Any longtime fan of Walt Disney World understands that there are three iconic resorts: The Contemporary, The Grand Floridian, and The Polynesian Village Resort. People who visit the most popular theme park on the planet relish the idea of staying at one of the trio of properties conveniently located at stops on Disney’s world famous monorail system.

Recently, The Walt Disney Company has reinvented one of those properties right down to changing its name from its former title of the Polynesian Resort back to its original designation, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. In combination with the overhaul of its facilities, the Polynesian becomes a member of the Disney Vacation Club, making a stay there no longer just a fantasy for those unwilling to pay $400 or more a night for their accommodations. You have probably dreamt of staying at the Polynesian for years now. Here are six things you must know before booking your vacation.

1. General Resort Appearance

The unique flair of the Polynesian Village Resort has caught the eye of travelers for almost half a century now. The stylish South Pacific Seas theme celebrates island living in the heart of one of the most populous cities in the United States. The exotic flowers and plants on display throughout the resort imbue the Polynesian with a vivacious tropical flair.

Disney always does a masterful job with their resorts, building massive hotels predicated upon specific themes. Even by their lofty standards, however, the Polynesian is the gold standard in terms of extending a concept everywhere onsite. From the lush vegetation visible the moment you exit the monorail to the dazzling hotel lobby to the beachfront view of Grand Floridian and the Magic Kingdom, the Polynesian Village Resort is the most visually engaging property Disney has ever built. Note that the resort is currently undergoing renovations that will continue through 2016. So, there are some temporary inconveniences for guests.

2. Hotel rooms

There are currently 847 rooms at the Polynesian, and even the basic studio residences represent some of the largest lodgings Disney offerings in Orlando. Determining the location of your room can be an ordeal, because there are 12 distinct hotel buildings, or longhouses, onsite. Since the entire property is currently undergoing extreme renovations, even the path you take to reach your building can change during your stay.

Assuming you can get past the minor inconvenience, you’ll discover rooms that can host five people plus another under the age of three. The smallest such rooms are a hefty 416 square feet, and the DVC rooms recently added are 447 square feet, the largest of any DVC property. Each room includes either two queen beds or a king bed plus pullout sofa bed. The additional seating involves either a daybed or secret sleeper bed (complete with Lilo & Stitch picture on the headboard).

The décor at the Polynesian Village Resort is state of the art, as one would expect of a recently upgraded facility. And since this hotel embodies the high end of Disney’s resorts, it offers benefits beyond additional space. The notoriously thin walls of Disney’s All-Star resorts as well as moderate value properties are not an issue here. Better yet, the DVC rooms feature a clever splitting of the bathroom into two areas. There is a basic room featuring what would ordinarily be considered bathroom facilities and a plush standalone sitting shower area highlighted by a decadent rain shower head and sitting area.

Pagination

When David's not at Walt Disney World, he's writing about movies and box office analysis, economics, streaming media, technology, travel, and parks and recreation. He's the author of the Disney Demystified and Behind the Ride book series.

Comments

We have been very unimpressed with the food at Kona and think it is one of the less desirable table service restaurants at WDW. Our food has never been very good and the service even worse!! I was not impressed at all with the steak...thought it was pretty bad actually. But to each his her own. That's why there are lots of choices at Disney!!